Florence

Accaemia Gallery:

The other statue that made Michelangelo famous before the Sistine Chapel paintings was the magnificent “David.” David was created from 1501-1504. I think seeing this was the highlight of my trip! It is so amazing, so detailed, and so perfect.

Leaning Tower of Pisa:

I walked up to the top of the tower! Inside the staircase you can feel the lean as you walk around… The structure already had a lean when just the third floor was done. The construction stopped and wasn’t continued for 100 years. The soil wasn’t strong enough to hold the marble bell tower. 1890 they reinforced the base of the tower to keep it from moving, but it still sinks 1mm a year.

Uffizi Gallery:

Most of the art in Italy is religious. It shows the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus, or Jesus on the cross, other Biblical characters, or Popes. The other kinds of images I saw were Greek mythology showing pagan gods. “The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli is at the Uffizi gallery.

This is the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore.